Lucknow: Razor, trimmer, shaving foam, cigarette, lighter, chisel blade, iPod, mobile phone, ultra slim laptop, porn magazine and gutkha pouch.
Nothing seems unusual in the list, until you are told that the seized articles have been found in bags of students of prominent schools in Lucknow.
In the wake of the Brightland School incident, where a Class 1 boy was found with stab wounds in the school toilet and a senior girl student is a suspect, over two dozen prominent city schools carried out random checks of school bags to see if students were bringing anything that could harm others.
While the Brightland School principal, who was sent to jail for hiding the incident from police for over 24 hours, is out on bail, the suspect girl is also back home on interim bail after spending 24 hours in the juvenile home.
Alarmed by the shocking incident, schools in Lucknow are taking preventive measures. “We were shocked to find that students of Class 9 bring pornography magazine with a brown cover and a label of science subject. We also found packets of cigarette and lighters from bags of several boys. These things have been confiscated and notices issued to their parents,” said a teacher of an all-boys educational institution. Some of the boys even brought razors, shaving foams and trimmers.
“When confronted, they said their parents do not allow them to shave at home so they bring such items to school and use them before leaving for home,” said a teacher, not willing to be named.
The checking of bags was also carried out at a prestigious all-girls educational institution 15 minutes before interval.
The students were asked to leave the class while teachers checked their bags. Scissors, blade, nail polish, lipsticks and perfumes were some of the common items that were found from their bags.
“Many of them had brought I-pods and mobile phones, too. They have been seized,” said a teacher.
Most of the schools have banned bringing mobile phones to classrooms after the Gurgaon school incident, where a boy was allegedly killed by a senior so that exams could be deferred.
However, the surprise checks have revealed that students are flouting rules with impunity. Now, the schools want parents to check the school bags of their wards.
“It is difficult for us to check the bags of 2,500 students daily. But, parents can at least check bags of their wards before they come to school. It is not difficult for them,” said a principal of a school affiliated with the CBSE board.
A principal of a co-educational school in Lucknow’s Aashiana area said, “One of the students had brought a mobile phone hidden in a school diary, assuming that it won’t come under the teachers’ scanner. We have informed his parents about it.”
Hindustan Times
